David Byrne will present a revised version of his American Utopia Broadway show beginning Tuesday, due to several breakthrough Covid cases among his onstage band.
In an Instagram video today (watch it below), Byrne explained that with several band and crew members out, he and the remaining Utopia band will temporarily perform a new show at the St. James Theatre. The new show will include songs from his Talking Heads era, his solo albums as well as some of the American Utopia numbers.
In the video, Byrne says that “rather than canceling our shows,” he will “honor our commitment” to ticket-holders. “We’re going to do a show that, well, we’re just going to come up with the show! Hey, let’s make a show!” He described the revised show as “unlike anything we’ve done before.”
In a second Instagram video, Byrne offers a sneak peek of at least one song on the new set list: A rehearsal of the song “And She Was” can be heard as the camera focuses on a masked band member.
The new show – Byrne calls is “Unplugged, or maybe Unchained” – will begin with the Tuesday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m. performance. The unplugged Utopia will then play the following dates:
- Wednesday, December 29 at 8PM
- Thursday, December 30 at 5PM and 9PM
- Saturday, January 1 at 5PM
- Sunday, January 2 at 3PM
Byrne says in the video that he’s “only going to do it for a few weeks and then we hope we’ll all be back” with the regular American Utopia show.
Watch both Instagram videos below.